What does it mean to design?

So many times, I’ve been asked, “what exactly do you do?” My typical response is, “I am a graphic designer”. To be honest, asking what I do is a loaded question. Designers do so much more than just drawing a pretty picture or making your ideas a reality. We think about how things go together and why they go together. It’s not just an image on a screen or on a printed piece. It’s everything around us. I am constantly thinking how to make things better. How things can be improved to help everyday life.

Think about it, everything that you touch is designed in some way. Everything in your home, your car, even the device that you are reading this blog on. We think about how one interacts with a website or even an ATM.

So how does this all come together. There is a process, much like a process with any other job that one might do. This process can be applied to any design problem.

Identify the problem. What exactly needs to be fixed or what needs to have a new look. Why does it need help?

Research the competition. What does the competition look like? Look at their website, logo, collateral or site. This list can go on and on but what is important here is to learn as much as you can about the industry or product that you are designing.

Brainstorm how to solve the problem.

Sketch, Sketch, Sketch. This needs no explanation, it is what it is.

Develop your winning idea.

Test to make sure things work properly.

Delivery to the client.

So there it is a rough overview of what a designer does. Keep in mind that things change, not every project is the same. Sometimes you have to go back to the drawing board if you first round of ideas miss the mark. So yes, to those that ask, I do more than draw pretty pictures all day. Design is a way to view the world, and I for one, love it.

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Lauren is a passionate developer/designer from Denver, Colorado. With a love for technology, skiing and all things new, she never stops learning. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter or send her an email.